Abstract
Complex communities of thermophilic bacteria have been cultured from the 350 °C waters emanating from sulphide chimneys, or ‘black smokers’, at 21 °N along the East Pacific Rise1. Several of the bacterial communities were shown to grow rapidly at 100 °C and atmospheric pressure, producing methane, hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide. These gases are found in superheated vent water, having previously been attributed to abiogenic reactions. Before concluding that these ‘black smoker’ bacteria actually contribute to the chemistry of the superheated hydrothermal fluids, it was necessary to test their ability to grow and produce gases at in situ vent temperatures and pressures. Here we report that a bacterial community originally cultured from 306 °C water is capable of chemolithotrophic growth in a titanium growth chamber under in situ vent pressure of 265 atm and at temperatures of at least 250 °C. (At 265 atm, seawater remains liquid at temperatures of at least 460 °C2.) Transmission electron microscopy of thin sections of bacteria cultured at 250 °C has revealed the presence of at least two morphologically distinct organisms.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baross, J. A., Lilley, M. D. & Gordon, L. I. Nature 298, 366–368 (1982).
Chen, C-T. A. Science 211, 298 (1981).
Brock, T. D. Thermophilic Microorganisms and Life at High Temperatures (Springer, New York, 1978).
Tansey, M. R. & Brock, T. D. in Microbial Life in Extreme Environments (ed. Kushner, D. J.) 159–216 (Academic, London, 1978).
ZoBell, C. E. Producers Mon. Penn. Oil Prod. Ass. 22, 12–19 (1958).
Vidal, V. M. V., Vidal, F. V. & Isaacs, J. D. J. geophys. Res. 83, 1757–1774 (1978).
Stetter, K. O. Nature 300, 258–260 (1982).
Corliss, J. B. et al. Science 203, 1073–1083 (1979).
Spiess, F. N. et al. Science 207, 1421–1423 (1980).
Curray, J. R. et al. Geo Times 24, 18–20 (1979).
Lilley, M. D., de Angelis, M. A., & Gordon, L. I. Nature 300, 48–50 (1982).
Edmond, J. M., Von Damm, K. L., McDuff, R. E. & Measures, C. I. Nature 297, 187–191 (1982).
Welhan, J. A. & Craig, H. Geophys. Res. Lett. 6, 829–831 (1979).
Karl, D. M., Wirsen, C. O. & Jannasch, H. W. Science 207, 1345–1347 (1980).
Yayanos, A. A. Rev. scient. Instrum. 40, 961–963 (1969).
Bischoff, J. L. & Seyfried, W. E. Am. J. Sci. 278, 838–860 (1978).
Woese, C. R. Zentbl. Bakt. Hyg., I. Abt. Orig. C3, 1–17 (1982).
Stetter, K. O. et al. Zentbl. Bakt. Hyg., I. Abt. Orig. C2, 166–178 (1981).
Huber, H., Thomm, M., Konig, H., Thies, G. & Stetter, K. O. Arch. Mikrobiol. 132, 47–50 (1982).
Zeikus, J. G. & Wolfe, R. S. J. Bact. 113, 461–476 (1973).
Kandler, O. L. Zentbl. Bakt. Hyg., I. Abt. Orig. C3, 149–160 (1982).
Doddema, H. J. & Vogels, G. D. Appl. envir. Microbiol. 36, 752–754 (1978).
Porter, K. G. & Feig, Y. S. Limnol. Oceanogr. 25, 943–948 (1980).
Gallant, J. & Suskind, S. R. J. Bact. 82, 187–194 (1961).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Baross, J., Deming, J. Growth of ‘black smoker’ bacteria at temperatures of at least 250 °C. Nature 303, 423–426 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1038/303423a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/303423a0
This article is cited by
-
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Life on Venus and the interplanetary transfer of biota from Earth
Astrophysics and Space Science (2019)
-
Ionization Constants of DL-2-Aminobutyric Acid and DL-Norvaline Under Hydrothermal Conditions by UV–Visible Spectroscopy
Journal of Solution Chemistry (2017)
-
Peer review versus editorial review and their role in innovative science
Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics (2012)
-
Supramolecular network formed through O-H⋯O and π-π stacking interactions: Hydrothermal syntheses and crystal structures of M(H2O)6](optp)2 (M = Mg, Ni, Zn, and optp = 1-oxopyridinium-2-thiopropionate)
Journal of Chemical Sciences (2009)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.